


The Sublocke Challenge

by KitariAuthor



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: Gen, I don't think I'll last long, I'll add of the Pokemon at the end, I'm writing this as I play, Nuzlocke Challenge, Sublocke Challenge, The tags will change over time
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2019-11-29
Packaged: 2021-02-12 17:15:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21479965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KitariAuthor/pseuds/KitariAuthor
Summary: Random Pokemon Trainer doesn't wanna delete her Pokemon data and is too broke to buy a new game, so she made up a substitute version of the Nuzlocke Challenge to make up for it. She doesn't do too well, but we'll see.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 3





	1. Decision to Torture

I don't have a single Pokemon game I wanna restart for a Nuzlocke Challenge, so I made up a substitute one. I call it the Sublocke because it's a substitute for the Nuzlocke. I was looking through my Pokemon games, trying to think of what game I could bear to delete the data and start a Nuzlocke challenge with. While I was going through these, and about to give up doing the Nuzlocke, I saw in Pokemon X, the Chespin that Shauna gave me near the end of the game. How she got through the whole game without giving any mind to her Level 5 starter, I dunno.

That's when I started thinking up an idea. There was no way I was going to be able to do a true Nuzlocke challenge without deleting one of my game's data or buying a completely new one. I was saving up to buy a Nintendo Switch and Pokemon Sword, so I couldn't bear to do either. So I made up Sublocke to get some kinda feel of being in a Nuzlocke.

The rules were simple; get a basic Level 5 or lower Pokemon and some Pokeballs and the challenge begins, only catch the first Pokemon you encounter in every new area you enter, nickname each Pokemon so you get attached, and if a Pokemon faints, it can't be used again. 

However, in this version, there's a couple of extra things, concerning that this wasn't a new or restarted Pokemon game. You can't battle any of the Gym Leaders, but you could take on the Elite Four. You just had to make it through the Pokemon Region, without using Fly or a Pokemon pager, basically. I'm making it a challenge to go to every area in this Region, to make up for not battling the Gym Leaders and to train up for the Elite Four. 

There's also the issue with the amount of money that I have and the items I've earned or found. I'm allowing to use the money that you already had since the supply of money-giving trainers must be exhausted, aside from maybe, for me the Battle Chateau or, for you guys, the Elite Four. Items, however, keep a piece of paper or something to keep track of what you have, what you don't have, and what you've run out of. Think of this part like it's DnD.

I've made sure to set up separate areas in my PC Box for my Morgue and my Spares. Another rule that I have is that I can't pull out a Pokemon from the PC Box unless a Pokemon from my Party of 6, has fainted and I need a replacement. If I reach the point where my screen blacks out and all of my 6 Pokemon have fainted in that battle, then it's Game Over no matter how many other Spares I have left in my PC.

With that in mind, I set myself up for the Challenge and began in Vanville Town, Kalos Region, Pokemon X.

Here's how it went.


	2. Day 1; Nearly Immediate Death

Because I couldn't get back to my place without encountering any Pokemon from the Pokemon Center I was at, I had to pull out my Swanna, Sylis, and Fly myself back to my house. I just left Sylis in my Party, obviously not using him during the Challenge. I'm planning on putting him back in the PC Box once I get to an actual Pokemon Center, again.

All I had was my Chespin, Chester, as my starter. I gave my condolences to Shauna, who still stood in front of my house, after all this time and left.

First Route doesn't even have any grass, so I didn't get any Pokemon there. 

I didn't realize this, in the past, but Aquacorde Town has a lady that you can talk with to heal your Pokemon. It's not a Pokemon Center, but it works. I buy a couple of Potions and Pokeballs, record what I now have in my Sublocke inventory, and headed out to Route 2 to catch my new Pokemon.

Route Two, or the Avance Trail, is where I caught a Scatterbug, that I named Reve. She was a small thing at Level 2, and Chester nearly killed her at about 4 HP left. However, I managed to heal her up and I started training along Route Two. 

I remember when I was younger that the forest up ahead was a pain to get through and I'd avoid touching as much tall grass as possible. I also remember getting lost in there, once upon a time. I don't even remember how to get through it since I normally get across the Region with Fly. So, after training a little in Route Two, I managed to get Chester to Level 8 and Reve to Level 5. Something tells me that I'm gonna have to be needing them at a higher level, but we'll see how it goes.

So, when I got into Santalune Forest, the first Pokemon I run into is another Scatterbug, which Chester just murdered with a misclick from me. I was gonna hit it with a Tackle, but I selected Rollout by mistake and obliterated the Level 3 Scatterbug. Personally, I don't think it really had a chance against a Level 8, but I was hoping it would pull through. However, it would appear that Rock is super effective against Bug. So, no new Pokemon here.

Something I learned about Rollout while fighting a Level 5 Pansage, was that Rollout repeats 5 times (according to the move description, now that I'm reading it) after you select it and you can't go to any other move. I was wondering why it kept repeating Rollout and now I know why.

I don't know how my younger self got lost in Santalune Forest, because getting in and out is actually kinda straight forward. Maybe it was getting past the trainers and stuff. I finally manage to get out with Chester at Level 11 and Reve at Level 8. Not a lot of grinding, but I'm excited to get onto Route 3.

Routh 3, or Ouvert Way, was where I caught Aster, the Bunnebly with 1 HP left in her spot. I was kinda hoping that Aster would be a dude, but, y'know what, we'll be best buddies no matter what gender she is. 

After that, I went straight to Santalune City. I immediately went to the Pokemon Center and dropped off Sylis, so that way I have just my Sublocke Pokemon. I heal everyone up because the PP of a lot of their moves are wicked low and I haven't found any Leppa Berries to record in my Sublocke Inventory (yeah, that's what I'm calling it now). I have five Potions and twenty-two Pokeballs left, so I also went and stocked up on more Potions. I feel like I'm wasting so much of the Potion, because with so little HP, like these, I just use Oran Berries. So I get about 15 Potions (ye, *sweats*) and I head out on my way.

Route 4, or Parterre Way, is the area with a bunch of flowers and the mini mazes. They ain't much, but they're subtle and pretty. Over there's the Perle Fountain ('Acceptance Creates Harmony', indeed), which, might I add, is wicked elegant. Welcome to Poke-France. Actually, when you look at the plaque of the fountain, the view lets you see a city with high skyscrapers. We'll be getting there next.

First off, better try to catch my new buddy. The first thing I run into was a Skitty, in a patch of yellow flowers, past the fountain. I had realized that Reve, who was Level 7, didn't have the highest power. Also, she was probably gonna get demolished by just a slight Level 8 Skitty, whom I later figure out is a dude, due to the fact that he landed an Attract on Reve. 

After I managed to get him with Reve's newly acquired Stun Spore, I had to switch Reve out and have Chester get him in the red. When I had caught him, I had half the mind to name him...like Adonis or Zeus, because that fricken Attract had immobilized Reve so many times. But I decided to name him with better intentions and named him Dima. My reasons behind this name are too complicated to understand, but just know it has something to do with a confident Siberian Tiger and a miscommunication.

While I was training, there was a trainer battle that I had apparently missed, who was in one of the hedge mazes. Gardener Fabian sent out a Level 10 Corphish that nearly killed my Level 8 Reve with a critical hit Vice Grip. Thankfully, he didn't and I was able to switch to Chester who was able to knock him out with Rollout, combined with Reve's earlier Stun Spore. That paralyzes does work wonders.

After our battle with a close call against a Flabébé, Reve evolved into a Spewpa, which is great, because she also learned Protect. Yay, first Pokemon evolving!

After that, I headed to Lumiose City so I can finally get to a Pokemon Center and heal up Dima. He's still paralyzed and riding on 4 HP, so I go take care of that. (I've also realized, that the butler dude in the South Boulevard Pokemon Center can give you stuff for Poke Miles. I have 868 freaking Poke Miles.)

Route 5, or Versant Road, is next, and I start hunting for a new buddy. I brought Dima out to work his magic, and honestly, I think I ran into another Dima, just dog-edition. I encountered a Level 9 Furfrou and saw that he was a level higher than Dima. While Dima's attack just knocked off a tenth of this dude's health, that Furfrou took over about half. So I pulled Dima back and brought out Chester. Since I couldn't get even two shakes on the first Pokeball with Chester, to avoid killing the Pokemon right away, I sent out Reve to fine-tune the next round of damage. 

Even though Reve's Tackle did next to nothing, we were able to get the Furfrou into the red and capture him. However, the weirdest thing happened. When the Furfrou went inside the Pokeball, the ball froze in the air for a second and shook back and forth. It then dropped to the ground, shook, then, boom, captured. It didn't just fall to the ground immediately and shake three times. It was weird...

Anyways, I named the Furfrou 'Triarch'. Again, this has something to do with the same reference I have for Dima's name.

I run into another long-neglected trainer and realized that this Rising Star's Kadabra might be a little too powerful for us. It's Level 13 and I was able to get Chester to that level just now and am scared of my Pokemon dying one by one. So I brought out Chester...and the worst happened. I had forgotten that the battle with Furfrou had weakened Chester and that he was only at half-HP. So when the Kadabra hit him with a Confusion, Chester was killed because of my stupidity. 

I kind of cried inside. My starter...who was supposed to evolve and grow into amazing things...was killed before even his second evolution. Our first death and starting of our downfall. I fear that this might be the end of us.

I brought out Reve to try to hit him with a Stun Spore. I had prepared myself and launched a successful Protect so I could heal up Reve before he could attack. Despite that, my Level 9 Reve was no match for the Confusion of a Level 13 Kadabra, and Reve was killed. I was legitimately panicking and mourning at the loss of two Pokemon I had just started creating a bond with. My other Pokemon weren't nearly as strong and I felt like I was just gonna cry for real.

I sadly brought out Aster, and to my utter dismay, he was one-hit killed by the Kadabra's Confusion. Dima and Triarch were left and with how low of a level Dima is and the conditions we left Triarch in, I knew we weren't gonna make it.

I sent out Dima and fought with a heavy heart. I was gonna try my best and see where it would go. I knew he couldn't use Attract because the Kadabra was also male. I can't remember what Foresight does, so I had to look it up on the internet. I later realize that this move is useless to me because Kadabra is just a Psychic-Type, and has nothing to do with Fighting or Ghost-Type. All I have left is Tackle and Tail Whip, both of which I know won't help against Kadabra's power. I jabbed my stylus at the Tackle, and just like I thought, Dima went down with Confusion.

I bring out Triarch and, despite myself, went and healed him. I knew that Kadabra was gonna hit him with a Confusion, and prepared myself emotionally for it. This is where it ends, I knew. The Potion didn't even fill up his entire HP, anyways. So I watched Kadabra attack with the move that killed all of my other precious Pokemon and-

Oh, my gosh-

Triarch. Like a heckin' madlad survived with a good amount of HP left! He wasn't even in the red! I was so confused by this until I remembered something that I read about Triarch when I was going through their summaries (it was because I was reading the move descriptions since I didn't for Dima). Triarch has an ability called Fur Coat that halves the damage given to it by the enemy Pokemon. That must've been the reason why he survived when everyone else hadn't.

So with that small sliver of hope, that had a bad feeling of being extinguished, I set off to heal Triarch again. He still had paralyzes, due to getting hit by Stun Spore...earlier. I realized that Triarch actually has a pretty good Tackle, so I'm leaning on that. I have to practically heal him between each turn before I feel like it's safe to attack. So I basically had to wait until he missed.

So with a lot of Potions and a miss from Kadabra, I was gonna finally manage to land the final blow...until Triarch was choked by paralyzes, missing our chance. And so...the cycle repeated over again, waiting for another opportunity to arise. I was running low on Potions and I hope that the next town has a Pokemon Center up ahead, because I really don't wanna go back into that grass...

...If we make it out alive...

Kadabra misses again and paralyzes chokes us again. I am beginning to lose hope. I am running low on Potions and don't know how long I can drag this on for. And then...another discouragement came in and further lowered my hopes. Triarch actually managed to get the Confused status on top of his Paralyzes. I am really just taking my chances here...

Finally...with a stroke of pure luck. Triarch snapped out of his confusion, Kadabra missed, and we finally, finally, managed to land a Tackle on the frustrating Psychic-Type and the battle was finally over. Triarch levels up to Level 10, and I nearly cried. I have literally only 4 Potions left. And with finishing words from our honorable Rising Star Hamish, 'I knew it...I really gotta get some sleep'. Me too, man, me too...

I manage to squeak by at Camphire Town and solemnly walked over to the PC. I went in and, with a heavy heart, placed Dima, Reve, Aster, and Chester into the Morgue. My starter, my evolving baby, my bunny friend, and my confident boi, all dead. I went over to get Triarch healed of Paralyzes and saved my game.

Hamish was right. It's 2 AM. I really need to sleep...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This...is not starting out very well for me...


	3. Day 2; +4

Before I headed out to the next route, I went back to Versant Road and started training there. I train Triarch to about Level 15 and set off to Route 7, or Riviere Walk. I dunno where Route 6 is, but I bet it's that other path at the forked road. The first Pokemon I encounter is in the yellow flowers. Reasonably enough, it's a yellow flower Flabébé. I managed to capture it which made me feel a little more at ease now that I have another Pokemon besides just Triarch. I name her Gevalia, after a good friend of mine. The name of the Pokemon, the size, and the flower reminded me of her, so she's in my buddy's honor. Lemme just hope she doesn't die that fast...

I went back to the fork and, yes Route 7, or the Palais Lane, and realized that if you walked too close to the bushes, wild Pokemon will jump out at you. And that's how I ran into my next little buddy who, not only poisons Pokemon via contact but nearly killed Gevalia. It's a Venipede that I named Scorpio. Thankfully, I'm able to heal everyone up at the Pokemon Center after I get ambushed again by an Audino. Looks like this area will have plenty of good places to train. 

After I went to the Pokemon Center, I went back to the Palais Lane to train. Since I knew that I could catch only the first Pokemon I encountered every new area, I thought I could maybe catch another one in the garden area of the Parfum Palace. Unfortunately, there aren't any patches of grass or flowers I could scourge for Pokemon in. 

However, I find out some interesting things about the Palace while I was there. Apparently, the Unova Region and the Kalos Region had known each other long ago, especially of the time of the king that once reigned over Kalos. Since the Kalos Region's based off of France and the Unova Region's based off of America, I was starting to think this was based on an alliance that happened in real life. What Kalos and Unova got allied for, I don't know. Maybe they had a war with the Galar Region to earn Unova's independence, we'll never know.

I leave back onto Versant Road and passed by the Battle Chateau. I was contemplating whether or not to go in and battle, but I know there are some high-level Trainers inside. I had no Pokemon in my current party that is at the level everyone in there expects me to be at and then some, so I decided not to.

Up ahead, I'm met with the Connection Cave Zubat Roost. Before I actually enter the cave, I go over around to the small set of stairs and find a Persim Berry tree. Apparently they allow Pokemon to recover from confusion in battle. Real useful.

I enter the cave, and my first encounter there, whaddya know, was a Zubat. I caught one and named him Night. It was partially due to all of the Honedge I've faced before meeting him, the fact he can't see, and he's a nighttime flighty boi. 

I make it to Route 8, or the Muraille Coast, which is perched up on top of a cliff. So I had a fun time trying to see how to get down from there. While up there, I run into a Spoink, that was my first encounter here. Triarch had to only Tackle it once to get it in the red and I had it captured. According to its Pokedex entry, it apparently needs to keep bouncing or else its heart will stop working. Huh. The more you know. I uncreatively named him Spring, because...do I have to explain?

So with those two new buddies on my belt, we stride into Ambrette Town and head immediately to the Pokemon Center. Uneventful, I know but it's late. So I ended up finding the Ambrette Hotel and stayed a night there.

I swallowed down the nervousness I had with having five new Pokemon in my set. Four, not counting Triarch. I hope I don't lose them that easily like last time...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's short, but I had little that was going on. I'm working on training them so they don't die this time ^^;. Maybe I'll last longer than what I think...maybe...


	4. Day 3; Loss, Gain, Loss

Sadly, when I leave Ambrette Town, I'm still on the Muraille Coast, so I can't catch any new Pokemon. I was contemplating on doing so since this was a huge, whole other area, but I didn't. I found a Mago Berry tree, whose berries apparently restores the HP of a Pokemon's in a pinch, but will cause confusion if they don't like the taste. 

I ran into another neglected trainer named Fisherman Wharton and battled him. Due to my stupidity, I lost Gevalia to a critical Acid, which, honestly made my heart sink and cry. I was putting so much heart into Gevalia, and I lost her. The Tentacool I was fighting was Level 19, and I had no Pokemon at that high of a level. I crumbled a little. Not again...

I brought Triarch out and he clean-sweeped the Tentacool off. However, he had gotten poisoned from the Tentacool's Toxic Spikes. I had to heal him a couple of times to avoid losing him, too. I could do a lot of damage with just his Headbutts. I was able to finish off the rest of Wharton's Tentacools, and the battle was over. 

I am going to find a Pokemon for a new Gevalia. I swear it. An even better Pokemon, no offense to the first. Lesson learned, whenever engaging with trainer battles, always bring Triarch out first, even if another Pokemon's out. That way there's more experience to go around.

I make it to Cyllage City and took a look around. As you've probably guessed, I haven't been to many of these places in a long time. Y'know the guy that's on his bicycle in front of that one slope of the street that you can't go up, but only go down? Well, I tried to talk to him, but faced away, pressed A, and collected an X-Speed. There was no Pokeball anywhere that I found. It was just...right there...in the middle of empty street...an X-Speed. Weird.

After trying to see if I could fish for new Pokemon, I go to the Pokemon Center to heal up my remaining buddies and head out to find Route 9. I saw that Route 10 was where you exited the city, so I looked around to see where the other one was. Climbing up the side of the cliffside where the Gym is, I go beyond it and was met with a little cave entrance that I barely remember was there. Apparently it was the Connecting Cave Zubat Roost, so I couldn't catch any new Pokemon. Where the heck is Route 9?? 

I grinded a little in the Zubat Roost, trying to get all of my Pokemon at a decently high level. I was contemplating getting everyone to at least Level 20, while I was there because honestly, I don't wanna take any chances, anymore. This is probably gonna take a while since Triarch was the only one near Level 20, and everyone else was around Level 15.

While I was down there, I just feel like I'm in a whole other section. While the other entrance I went through had a buttload of Zubats, this place had a variety of Wismurs, Axews, Meditites, and whatnot. After a while, I realized that if I wanted to get experience faster, I needed to go find a different place with higher level Pokemon. So I grinded to about Level 17-18 and tried to find Route 9. 

I found myself back at the upper Muraille Coast for a little more training. It was raining outside, which didn't mean much for me, considering that when it rains, it doesn't harm anybody. I've always wondered why there's like a horde of Zangoose, then this random Seviper that's among the pack. I had thought they disliked each other, but meh. Defeated them on the way back down to Ambrette Town.

I went to the Pokemon Center and replenished my buddies' PP. I wasn't low on Potions, so I left straight afterward with a departing thanks to Nurse Joy (I do that, is it weird?). After a while, I realized that there was another passageway, a gate, actually, that led to another place that I completely forgot about. And, lo and behold, there was Route 9, the Spike Passage.

Lemme just say, I really hated that place. While it was a great place to train Night, since he could fly and tank in damage, I had lost Scorpio to a Sandile that I encountered there, because Rollout had prevented me from healing him. Although, I was able to catch said Sandile and named her Shade. I had four Pokemon left. I hope I can get a good one back up at the cave up ahead. I had to run back to the Pokemon Center to heal up, then I went back to the Spike Passage to train up more.

I finally make it to the Glittering Cave. First thing I run into...is a Machop. Okay, not the best, but also not bad either. I also realized that Flying-Type must be real darn strong against Fighting-Type, because I capture him at 1 HP left with a Wing Attack from Night. I was half-inclined to name him Chad, for certain reasons, since this was an actual male Machop, but then, for the half-irony of it, I named him Charlie. Oh, and I also ran outta Potions. Darnit, I should've stocked up more when I went back-

After a close call with an Onyx that I ran into because I can't navigate properly in a cave I haven't been in for nearly three years, I head out, got my buddies healed by that one Pokemon Ranger lady, then headed back to Ambrette Town. On the way there...hhh, I am such an idiot. I thought Psychic-Type was effective against Dark! See, I was kinda under the impression that Ghost, Psychic, and Dark were like Fire, Grass, and Water. They can cancel each other out, or so I thought. I knew Ghost was good against Psychic and that Dark was good against Ghost. But Dark also makes Psychic-Type moves worthless! I lost Spring that way and I made this really loud screaming noise...

...Anyways, I make it back to Ambrette Town and put Spring into the Morgue, next to Scorpio. I healed everyone up, saved, bought more Potions, and slept in the Pokemon Center. 

Well, really, I'm sleeping here. I still have four Pokemon. Maybe having five or more is just unlucky for me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next is me finding suitable successors for Dima and Gevalia, hopefully.
> 
> These chapters are just gonna be wicked short.

**Author's Note:**

> Just thought it would be a great way to look back on my first challenge. Some of these chapter lengths will vary. I swear, they're not all that short.


End file.
